The present invention relates to a central console for a motor vehicle, in particular for a passenger car, which, starting from an instrument panel, extends between the front seats into the vehicle interior and is provided with standard operating elements and, if-appropriate, with optional additional devices and/or operating elements.
Central consoles are shown, for example, in EP 0 047 858 Al, GB 21 62 134 A and U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,759. They contain at least one standard operating element, for example a gear-shift lever or selector lever. It is, moreover, known to arrange operating elements for further standard devices in the central console, for example for a mirror adjustment, for a gear box interlock, for an access-authorization system or connections for additional loads.
Furthermore, the known central console is connected to control units. If the customer wishes the vehicle to be provided with optional fittings, it is also known to arrange said optional devices and/or their operating elements likewise in the central console. The large number of different variants arising due to wishes for optional fittings results in substantial logistical costs in order to provide the different variants of central consoles during production.
It is also known to arrange, between the front seats of a motor vehicle, an additional console only for a specific purpose, in particular for receiving a telephone (i.e., telephone console) as seen in DE 37 08 355 Al.
An object of the present invention is to reduce the costs caused by a large number of different variants as regards the central console.
This object has been achieved in accordance with the present invention by providing prefabricated connections on the central console. At least one add-on part can be fitted on these connections and provided with the optional additional devices and/or operating elements.
This new configuration permits use of a central console as a basic part which is varied by one or more add-on parts in accordance with the customer's wishes for optional fittings. The prefabricated connections for the central console serving as a basic part constitute justifiable preliminary measures which, although they increase the outlay to some extent, are justifiable in terms of the possible variations and the costs of the optional fittings, which are then only relatively low.
In one embodiment of the invention, the prefabricated connections contain mechanical securing apparatus and/or electrical/electronic plug-in connections. Starting from the basic version of the central console as a basic element, individualized central consoles can thereby be provided in each case to correspond to the respective optional fittings. The electrical/electronic plug-in connections should at least contain power-supply connections, a connection to the CAN bus and connections for entertainment electronics.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, one add-part is configured as an add-on console which partially covers over the central console. With this arrangement, a further configuration of the present invention allows the add-on console to be provided with an electronics printed circuit board which contains operating elements or the like, projecting out of the add-on console, and to be provided with plug-in connections which can be connected to plug-in connections provided on the central console. The electronics printed circuit board can also contain the additional intelligence and storage capacity which is necessary for the optional fittings, which is connected to the standard operating system via the plug-in connection and which can then communicate with the operating system.
In yet a further embodiment of the present invention, one add-on part is configured as a housing which contains one or more additional devices and/or operating elements. The housing is suitable, in particular, for receiving additional devices which are not directly dependent on the operating system of the vehicle, for example cassette players or CD players, CD changers, second radio with headset connections for rearseat occupants, compact video systems for the rear-seat occupants, telephone, heat-retaining box, cool box, drinks holder, illumination for central shelf or the like.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.